INCUMBENT PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has won in Penang – the home state of incoming party president Anwar Ibrahim – after party members went to the polls yesterday.

Penang and Kedah members were the first to vote in the party polls using its new e-voting system yesterday. However, due to technical glitches and other issues, the Kedah results were declared invalid by the party’s central election committee.

In Penang, where the committee accepted all the votes from its 13 divisions, Azmin received 3,326 votes, beating his challenger Rafizi Ramli – who got 3,150 votes – by just 176 votes.

Azmin, who is also economic affairs minister, won more votes than Rafizi in eight divisions – Kepala Batas, Batu Kawan, Nibong Tebal, Bukit Bendera, Tanjong, Jelutong, Bayan Baru and Bukit Mertajam.

Azmin’s biggest win was in Batu Kawan, where he garnered 532 votes compared with Rafizi’s 161.

Rafizi, however, beat Azmin in Permatang Pauh, Bagan, Tasek Gelugor, Bukit Gelugor and Balik Pulau. 

The incumbent PKR vice-president earned the most support in Balik Pulau, where he clinched 596 votes to Azmin’s 200.

Of note is Rafizi’s win in Permatang Pauh, the stronghold of PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim.

The division is also led by Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah, who is its MP and is also running in the polls to defend her vice-president post. She is seen to be aligned with Rafizi.

The polls in Penang yesterday also delivered a favourable outcome for outgoing PKR Youth deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin, who is aligned with Azmin.

The Penang boy Dr Afif, who is running for Youth chief, received 802 votes, ahead of his rivals Akmal Nasrullah Nasir (575) and Mohd Najwan Halimi (163).

Dr Afif, who is Seberang Jaya assemblyman and health exco, beat his rivals in Bukit Mertajam, Kepala Batas, Batu Kawan, Nibong Tebal, Tanjong, Jelutong, Bukit Gelugor, Bayan Baru and Balik Pulau.

He and his closest rival, Akmal, who is Johor Baru MP, tied in Permatang Pauh.

This year’s PKR polls have been seen as more fierce and intense than usual due to the contest for the deputy president’s seat between Azmin and Rafizi, and their respective camps.

Since the start of the campaign, Rafizi and his supporters have accused Azmin of being a puppet of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in their bid to derail Anwar’s ambition of becoming the next prime minister. 

Although the Penang polls have concluded, it was not without controversy. A number of party members were unhappy with the results, demanding that the results be nullified. – September 22, 2018.